It is an unfortunate irony that neglected pre-war buildings slated for demolition often look better to us in their decrepit final years than do their modernist replacements when brand new. The site at 301 West…

If the renderings are any guide, the Peter Poon-designed building rising at 136 West 42nd street will be aesthetically superior to the eighteen other hotels listed on the architect’s website. Commentators here and elsewhere seem…